Niosomes: A Comprehensive Review of Their Potential as Drug Carriers

To address limitations of conventional drug delivery associated with poor drug solubility, stability, unfavorable pharmacokinetics in biological environment, lack of selectivity and severe toxicity, development of nanotechnology approaches based on nanoporous nanomaterials as new drug carriers and devices is recognized as a promising strategy. Among them, nanoporous anodic alumina (NAA) fabricated by electrochemical methods, possessing desirable biocompatibility and physical and chemical properties with unique arrays of ordered nanostructures, is offering many advantages together with the ability to be used as an admirable drug carrier for designing new and advanced drug delivery systems. Recent studies clearly show the potential of NAA materials as localized drug delivery devices in orthopedics/dental implants, vascular stents, and immunoisolation where not only the controlled release of drugs, such as antibiotics or growth factors, is desired, but also appropriate bio-integration is needed. In this chapter, we collect and present some of the most relevant aspects of the recent research and development of NAA materials for drug delivery applications. To provide a comprehensive overview to the reader, this review firstly discusses biocompatibility aspects, which are the major prerequisite for the application of materials that come into contact with biological systems. Secondly, the basic aspects of the NAA materials including structure, fabrication, and properties are presented to better understand their potential and current development to demonstrate their applications for designing advanced and smart drug delivery systems. Most important examples of these demonstrated concepts are to improve NAA performances, their sustainable drug release, targeting, and triggered drug delivery systems. Other applications such as biocapsules and coronary stents have also been presented, including examples of in vitro and in vivo studies. Finally, a general overview and concluding remarks on recent trends, key challenges, and perspectives in the field of applications of NAA for drug delivery and their translation are presented.

With the advancement in the field of medical science, the idea of sustained release of the therapeutic agents in the patient's body has remained a major thrust for developing advanced drug delivery systems (DDSs). The critical requirement for fabricating these DDSs is to facilitate the delivery of their cargos in a spatio-temporal and pharmacokinetically-controlled manner. Albeit the synthetic polymer-based DDSs normally address the above-mentioned conditions, their potential cytotoxicity and high cost have ultimately constrained their success. Consequently, the utilization of natural polymers for the fabrication of tunable DDSs owing to their biocompatible, biodegradable, and non-toxic nature can be regarded as a significant stride in the field of drug delivery. Marine environment serves as an untapped resource of varied range of materials such as polysaccharides, which can easily be utilized for developing various DDSs. Carrageenans are the sulfated polysaccharides that are extracted from the cell wall of red seaweeds. They exhibit an assimilation of various biological activities such as anti-thrombotic, anti-viral, anticancer, and immunomodulatory properties. The main aim of the presented review is threefold. The first one is to describe the unique physicochemical properties and structural composition of different types of carrageenans. The second is to illustrate the preparation methods of the different carrageenan-based macro- and micro-dimensional DDSs like hydrogels, microparticles, and microspheres respectively. Fabrication techniques of some advanced DDSs such as floating hydrogels, aerogels, and 3-D printed hydrogels have also been discussed in this review. Next, considerable attention has been paid to list down the recent applications of carrageenan-based polymeric architectures in the field of drug delivery. Presence of structural variations among the different carrageenan types helps in regulating their temperature and ion-dependent sol-to-gel transition behavior. The constraint of low mechanical strength of reversible gels can be easily eradicated using chemical crosslinking techniques. Carrageenan based-microdimesional DDSs (e.g. microspheres, microparticles) can be utilized for easy and controlled drug administration. Moreover, carrageenans can be fabricated as 3-D printed hydrogels, floating hydrogels, and aerogels for controlled drug delivery applications. In order to address the problems associated with many of the available DDSs, carrageenans are establishing their worth recently as potential drug carriers owing to their varied range of properties. Different architectures of carrageenans are currently being explored as advanced DDSs. In the near future, translation of carrageenan-based advanced DDSs in the clinical applications seems inevitable.

Advances in drug delivery systems (DDSs) to release growth factors for wound healing and skin regeneration

Recent advances in drug delivery systems: Edited by J. M. Anderson and S. W. Kim. 387pp. 1984. Plenum Press, New York. US$65

Recent advances in drug delivery systems for targeting cancer stem cells

Natural and synthetic polymers have been used in pharmaceutical industry for many years and have important role in the development of the conventional dosage forms or for manufacturing of various drug packaging materials. In recent years, their important application resides in the development of the most sophisticated drug delivery systems where polymers are used as a drug carrier. Biodegradable polymers are particularly attractive for application in drug delivery systems since, once introduced into the human body, they do not require removal or additional manipulation. Their degradation products are normal metabolites of the body or products that can be metabolized and easily cleared from the body. Among that, synthetic polymers offer a wide variety of compositions with adjustable properties. These materials open the possibility of developing new drug delivery systems with specific properties (chemical, interfacial, mechanical and biological) for a given application, simply by changing the building blocks or the preparation technique. Such designed complex drug delivery systems where polymers are used as functional excipients have numerous advantages such as localized delivery of drug, sustained delivery of drug, stabilization of the drug, prevention of drug’s adverse side-effects, reduction of dosing frequency, minimization of drug concentration fluctuations in plasma level, improved drug utilization and patient compliance. There are range of differently designed drug delivery systems and their description and mechanism of action will be presented in this paper together with the prominent role of the polymers for each particular system. Additionally, most commonly used synthetic biodegradable polymers in drug delivery systems will be presented together with their degradation mechanism.

A natural nano-platform: Advances in drug delivery system with recombinant high-density lipoprotein

Chapter 4 - Emerging need of advanced drug delivery systems in cancer

This chapter provides a detailed overview of innovative drug delivery strategies in breast cancer therapeutics, emphasizing emerging and futuristic approaches. Current modalities, including conventional chemotherapy, targeted therapies, and hormone treatments, are critically assessed regarding their mechanisms and clinical efficacy. The chapter highlights advancements in drug delivery systems, such as nanotechnology-based formulations, liposomal carriers, and implantable devices, which enhance therapeutic effectiveness and minimize systemic toxicity. Futuristic strategies, particularly precision medicine, are explored for their potential to tailor treatments based on genomic and molecular profiling, thereby optimizing therapeutic responses and reducing adverse effects. The role of nanotechnology in achieving targeted delivery of therapeutics to cancer cells while sparing healthy tissues is examined. Additionally, gene editing technologies, such as CRISPR, are discussed for their ability to selectively modulate cancer-related genes, promising precise and lasting therapeutic effects. The chapter also covers immunotherapeutic innovations, including CAR T-cell therapy and cancer vaccines, which leverage the immune system’s capacity to target and eliminate cancer cells. In summary, this chapter elucidates the transformative potential of novel drug delivery strategies in breast cancer, highlighting the integration of advanced technologies to foster effective, personalized treatment paradigms.

This comprehensive review explores the diverse applications of lipids in the formulation of advanced drug delivery systems, specifically focusing on liposomes, phytosomes, and ethosomes. Lipids, crucial components in these formulations, play a pivotal role in enhancing drug solubility, stability, and bioavailability. The review systematically examines the latest advancements in lipid-based delivery systems, shedding light on their unique characteristics and applications. In the realm of liposomes, the study delves into various lipid compositions, highlighting their influence on liposomal structure and function. Additionally, the review explores the integration of phytosomes, which involve the complexation of drugs with plant-derived phospholipids, showcasing their potential to improve therapeutic efficacy. Ethosomes, lipid vesicles containing high concentrations of ethanol, are also extensively discussed, emphasizing their ability to enhance transdermal drug delivery. Critical analyses of recent research findings, including the impact of lipid selection on vesicle stability, drug release kinetics, and pharmacokinetics, are presented. The review further examines the challenges associated with lipid-based formulations, providing insights into potential avenues for future research and development. By synthesizing current knowledge, this review serves as a valuable resource for researchers, clinicians, and pharmaceutical scientists seeking a comprehensive understanding of the role of lipids in optimizing liposomal, phytosomal, and ethosomal drug delivery systems.

Advances in Drug Delivery Systems, 6

The conventional anticancer chemotherapies not only cause serious toxic effects but also produce resistance in tumor cells exposed to long-term therapy. Usually, the selective killing of metastasized cancer cells requires long-term therapy with higher drug doses because the cancer cells develop resistance due to the induction of poly-glycoproteins (P-gps) that act as a transmembrane efflux pump to transport drugs out of the cells. During the last few decades, scientists have been exploring new anticancer drug delivery systems such as microencapsulation, hydrogels, and nanotubes to improve bioavailability, reduce drug-dose requirement, decrease multiple drug resistance, and save normal cells as non-specific targets. Hopefully, the development of novel drug delivery vehicles (nanotubes, liposomes, supramolecules, hydrogels, and micelles) will assist in delivering drug molecules at the specific target site and reduce undesirable side effects of anticancer therapies in humans. Nanoparticles and lipid formulations are also designed to deliver a small drug payload at the desired tumor cell sites for their anticancer actions. This review will focus on the recent advances in drug delivery systems and their application in treating different cancer types in humans.

Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most common types of malignancy diagnosed globally. Metastasis plays a major role in most of the cancer-related mortality among affected patients. Despite the advances in the areas of early detection and localized treatment modalities, there prevail several challenges which the therapeutic strategies encounter, like drug resistance, tumor heterogeneity, and drug delivery. This review presents a comprehensive and detailed overview of organ-specific metastasis that occur in BC, specifically emphasizing key sites such as the bone, liver, lung, and brain. It also outlines the significance of various therapies like chemotherapies, endocrine therapies, targeted therapies and immunotherapies that have been clinically approved to date. The review specifically emphasizes the molecular mechanisms by which non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) act to exert their effects in regulating drug resistance. It also addresses the new advances in nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems (DDS) that function to enhance the specificity of treatments while simultaneously reducing systemic toxicity. Beyond ncRNAs, this review also explores other critical mechanisms of drug resistance in metastatic BC, including efflux transporter activity, target gene mutations, and micro-environmental factors, to mention a few. Moreover, the review also discusses the clinical significance of combination therapies and new therapeutic strategies, including the use of repurposed drugs and the concepts of personalized medicine. A greater understanding of the ncRNA-mediated signaling pathways, in combination with the latest advances in drug delivery systems, has the potential to greatly improve therapeutic efficacy and could result in more favorable clinical outcomes in the treatment of metastatic BC (MBC).

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a naturally occurring glycosaminoglycan widely recognised for its biocompatibility, biodegradability, and unique viscoelastic properties. Its structural versatility enables the formation of hydrogels with tuneable physicochemical characteristics, making it a valuable biomaterial in drug delivery and regenerative medicine. This review outlines HA properties, gel-forming approaches, and modern medicine and bioengineering applications. It provides a comprehensive overview of advances in HA production strategies, including microbial fermentation, animal tissue extraction, and production in vitro. Particular attention is given to gel-forming mechanisms, emphasising physical and chemical crosslinking methods like carbodiimide crosslinking, radical polymerisation, and enzymatic crosslinking. Advances in HA-based drug delivery systems and applications of HA-based materials in tissue engineering are also discussed, focusing on HA-based hydrogels with conjugates and combinations with compounds like collagen, alginate, and chitosan.

Biomimetics in drug delivery systems: A critical review